How is it that an alarmingly high number of Americans cannot name the capital of their own home state? It's true. In a world where we can Google anything in a matter of seconds, let's face it: even basic knowledge of geography is already getting lost.
How it Goes Down Imagine this. It's your friend's trivia night, and in answer to a question about the capital of Illinois, you confidently stick your hand up and shout, "Chicago!" Then you realize everyone's looking at you like you've grown three heads. Spoiler alert: it's really Springfield.
Why It's Important You might be sitting here thinking, "Why does it really matter what state capitals are? Who cares? Isn't that just for trivia night?" It's not just for trivia nights—though that, in and of itself, is a pretty good reason to learn! State capitals are often based on really cool history and are the epicenters of power and politics in state government life. Not to mention, it's a cool thing to know and it makes you look really smart and worldly, so there's that.
These are the political centers from where the big decisions are made. These are the cities where the laws are passed and where state governments operate out of. Being in the know about state capitals can also lead you to having a better conception of your state's history and engaging in the national landscape throughout the years.
Statistics and Studies A survey published by the Geographic Literacy Association conducted a study on people, individuals, and other savvy folks. Nearly 30% of Americans are unable to name the capital of their own state. When asked to name all 50 state capitals, only about 20% of respondents were able to get more than half of them right. Another study from the American Education Research Journal found that geographical knowledge has been constantly slipping over the past two decades. This is not just a problem for young adults; people of all ages are struggling with this basic civic knowledge.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions Classic mistakes are made regarding state capitals. In the state of New York, many people seem to think that New York City is the capital; it is, however, Albany. In the state of California, many think the capital is Los Angeles; it is actually Sacramento. Oh, and yes, as was mentioned earlier, Chicago is not the capital of Illinois. People commonly seem to think that the most famous city in a state is the capital—this is usually not the case. The reason for this is that these major cities are all over the news, movies, etc. and seem to overshadow their less glamorous but equally significant counterparts.
Some Techniques on How to Remember State Capitals Alright, enough of the scary statistics; let's talk about some solutions. Here are some fun and easy ways to help you remember state capitals:
Mnemonic Devices: Come up with some memorable sentence or story with the capital in it. For example, to remember that the capital of Oregon is Salem, you might think of a witch from Salem, Massachusetts taking a vacation to Oregon.
Apps and Quizzes: There are thousands of applications available that gamify the learning of state capitals. Just try "Geography Quiz" or "Stack the States".
Songs and Rhymes: There are actual songs with lyrics that list all the state capitals. Quick search in YouTube, and quite effective (and catchy) results will appear.
Conclusion Knowing your state capitals might seem trivial, but it's a small step towards being more informed and engaged with your country's geography and history. Plus, you'll never be stumped at trivia night again. So why not take a few minutes today and brush up on those capitals? You may very well impress your friends—and maybe even yourself.
Now let's see how much you know. Can you name all 50 state capitals?
Take a shot, and then see how well you do!Here are the state capitals of the United States
Montgomery, Alabama
Juneau, Alaska
Phoenix, Arizona
Little Rock, Arkansas
Sacramento, California
Denver, Colorado
Hartford, Connecticut
Dover, Delaware
Tallahassee, Florida
Atlanta, Georgia
Honolulu, Hawaii
Boise, Idaho
Springfield, Illinois
Indianapolis, Indiana
Des Moines, Iowa
Topeka, Kansas
Frankfort, Kentucky
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Augusta, Maine
Annapolis, Maryland
Boston, Massachusetts
Lansing, Michigan
St. Paul, Minnesota
Jackson, Mississippi
Jefferson City, Missouri
Helena, Montana
Lincoln, Nebraska
Carson City, Nevada
Concord, New Hampshire
Trenton, New Jersey
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Albany, New York
Raleigh, North Carolina
Bismarck, North Dakota
Columbus, Ohio
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Salem, Oregon
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Providence, Rhode Island
Columbia, South Carolina
Pierre, South Dakota
Nashville, Tennessee
Austin, Texas
Salt Lake City, Utah
Montpelier, Vermont
Richmond, Virginia
Olympia, Washington
Charleston, West Virginia
Madison, Wisconsin
Cheyenne, Wyoming
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